Peace Over Perfect

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Balancing Professional Success & Emotional Health: The Fight Against Perfectionism

Welcome to my blog post! My name is Erica Shepard, a former nurse and nurse practitioner, and currently, I run my healing, coaching, and consulting business. Today, I want to discuss how you, as professional women in high-pressure environments, can balance success and emotional health to achieve an optimized level of wellbeing.

The Plight of Perfectionism

Despite having successful careers, many women still feel a hunger for more. This craving could lead to confusion and dissatisfaction. When you are fulfilled and content within, life simply flows better; you are energetic, creative, and happy with your reflection in the mirror.

From personal experience, I have learned that having all the typical indicators of success doesn’t always constitute feeling fulfilled.

The Hidden Diagnosis: Perfectionism

A few years ago, while studying at one of the world's most prestigious universities and living an externally perfect life, my body started to rebel against me due to unrecognized stress. While undergoing medical examinations and turning into my own patient, I realized that what I was suffering from was not a disease but perfectionism.

Perfectionism is not a virtue; it is a behavioral pattern. To help you distinguish the difference: the virtue of hard work is work that matters, while perfectionism is working hard to matter. It's the constant hustle for self-worth, a struggle underpinned by the belief that you're not good enough and need to push harder.

Unraveling Perfectionism

The antidote to perfectionism is simply love or care. By connecting to love rather than expectations, you defeat the urge to attain perfection. Reflecting on my life, I have taken drastic measures to realign with the feelings of peace, calm, and joy.

Key Practices to Connect with Love

Here are three simple practices that you can integrate into your day-to-day routine to combat perfectionism:

  1. The Calm Practice: Try calming breathing exercises. Envision your energy field and adjust your breathing to channel calmness.
  2. The Peace Practice: Perform daily emotional check-ins by dedicating time to identify and feel your emotions, rather than allowing them to build up.
  3. The Joy Practice: Connect with something every day that brings you joy. This could be a hobby or an activity that you truly love engaging in.

Final Thoughts

By incorporating these practices into your life, you can begin to pivot away from perfectionism and embrace a more love-centered existence. Remember, love can't be known; it needs to be experienced. Balance your successful careers with emotional health to truly live a life of peace, calm, and joy.

Feel free to reach out to me to connect further, share your experiences, or simply to discuss this enlightening journey away from perfectionism towards a fulfilling, love-centered existence.


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